Sean Wilentz

The Politicians and the Egalitarians: the Hidden History of American Politics

“There are two keys to unlocking the secrets of American politics and American political history.”

So begins The Politicians & the Egalitarians, Princeton historian Sean Wilentz’s bold new work of history.

First, America is built on an egalitarian tradition.

Second, partisanship is a permanent fixture in America, and America is the better for it.

With these two insights Sean Wilentz offers a crystal-clear portrait of American history, told through politicians and egalitarians including Thomas Paine, Abraham Lincoln, and W. E. B. Du Bois―a portrait that runs counter to current political and historical thinking.

As he did with his acclaimed The Rise of American Democracy, Wilentz once again completely transforms our understanding of this nation’s political and moral character.